Kareem Bhai Ibrahim, the person who donated the land to the orphanage, was then sold by the WAQF board to Mukesh Ambani in Nita Ambani to build Antilia, Ambanis purchased the land for only Rs.
Kareem Bhai and his family created an orphanage as a key part of their charitable work. It provided care and education to the orphans of Hoha, and Sir Curimboy made sure they were trained in their work and mentored a good career.
Wealthy ship owner and generous donor Kareem Bhai Ibrahim played a major role in the land of Antilia, the Rs 15,000 crore mansion in Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani. In 1895, Kareem Bhai donated the land in southern Mumbai to establish an orphanage called Currimbhoy Ebrahim Khoja Yateemkhana, providing shelter and education to impoverished children from the Khoja Muslim community. By 1986, the orphanage had been managed by the WAQF Board, meaning it was officially recognized as a religious trust designed to serve the community.
Kareem Bhai is from the Currimbhoy family, whose roots can be traced back to the coastal town of Mandvi in ​​the early 1800s. Their business began with trade throughout Arabia, Zanzibar and Mumbai (now Mumbai), and later arrived in countries such as China and Japan. By the early 1900s, Sir Kareem Bhai, one of the most famous family members, became one of India’s wealthiest industrialists. He donated for many reasons, including the Mumbai Museum, the school, the mother’s hospital, and the lounge for widows and travelers. He also became the only Muslim baron in the world, and earlier won the Knights at the then Prince of Wales.
The orphanage created by Kareem Bhai and his family is a key part of their charity work. It provided care and education to the orphans of Hoha, and Sir Curimboy made sure they were trained in their work and mentored a good career.
But in the 2000s, land became the center of dispute. In 2002, Trust in Running an Orphanage obtained a permit to sell the land. It was then sold to Antilia Commercial Private Limited, a company related to Mukesh Ambani, for a price of about Rs 210.5 crore (about US$2.5 million). The deal has received strong criticism because the estimated market value of the land is at least Rs 150 crore (about US$18 million). Many say this breaks the rules on how WAQF land should be handled and violates Kareem Bhai’s donation purpose.
Construction of Antilia continues despite protests from local leaders and activists. The result is one of the most expensive private homes in the world, worth about Rs 150 crore. This 27-storey mansion is now a famous symbol of wealth in the Mumbai skyline.
